First Love: The Story of Cloud and Jessie
by Incandescent Foxfire
Summary: No more Cloud/Aerith or Cloud/Tifa fics...time to recognize the only other girl Cloud worked with! The story shifts from 1st to 3rd person. Please R


First Love  
The story of Cloud and Jessie  
  
The big, black-skinned man stepped up, "...Yeah, ya heard me right. We're gonna blow up that reactor. That's the mission."  
  
Cloud blinked, his glowing eyes showing no care at all, "...You expect us to be able to sneak past the security and roboguards, as well as get far enough into the reactor to set a bomb, then get out alive? You had better be paying me a lot for this trip."  
  
"...Besides, how do you expect to get past the outer walls? Do you have the codes or something?"  
  
The large, seemingly heavyset man smiled triumphantly, "...Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie have 'em. Trust me, we have this whole thing planned out like ya wouldn't believe."  
  
Cloud remained expressionless. He then said, "Tell me the plan then."  
  
The man held his only hand to where his other arm should be, but only a gun was there, shining, even though there was a lack of light. It was obviously recently polished. He nodded slowly and spoke, "Alright, here's how it goes. There's five members here: Biggs, Wedge, Jessie, yourself, and me. The mission begins in about 3 hours from now. There's gonna be one of the city's trains in this area, which is going to be transporting supplies to mako reactor 1. Jessie and Biggs are going to be dressed up as security guards, and they're going to switch shifts with the two guards already on duty there. That's when we come in. Since it's a supply train, there ain't going to be any civilians there, and we'll be able to get by...since the guards are two of us. We're gonna take the train down to the reactor, where two guards are. Biggs and Jessie will get out of the train first and take care of the two guards. Then you and I will get out, and meet up with the guys at the front gate. I'm gonna go off and look around for any stray guards in the area. As soon as I get back, the door should already be open. We'll go through the gate, and enter the reactor. There will be a bridge there. Wedge will stay behind and work on the door there, because that door doesn't work by codes, we'll need to hotwire it to get it to open. That door is where we rendezvous later. Anyways, moving on, there'll be two doors; Biggs and Jessie have the codes for them. We're going to leave Biggs on watch there, while you, Jessie, and me all go to the elevator. As soon a get to the bottom, we're going down a set of stairs, then into another doorway...Here's where we enter the non-civilized part of the reactor..."  
  
Cloud blinked, "Have I met Biggs, Wedge, or Jessie?"  
  
The man chuckled, "I doubt it...but anyways..."  
  
"Continue."  
  
"We don't exactly have the plans to this area, but we know the main part of the reactor is around there somewhere...Jessie's gonna stop and stay on watch for a while, while you and I continue on. As soon as we get to the bottom, I'll place the bomb, set it, then we start to go back to the others..."  
Cloud shook his head, "Run through that, too. I want every bit of information you can tell me."  
  
The man shook his shoulders, looking around the room, "...Jessie and Biggs are probably off getting their costumes on about now..." and he sighed, "I've got time."  
  
"The way it goes is that as soon as we set the bomb, we'll meet back up with Jessie, and hurry back to the elevator. By now, there's going to be roboguards, so Jessie won't be able to fight. It's up to you to defend her, Cloud. I'm counting on you..."  
  
Cloud narrowed his eyes, "...If she can't fight, it's her fault."  
  
The man blinked slowly, his opinion of Cloud changing a bit, "...Alright, fine, I'll defend her...but, let's move on."  
  
"As soon as we get to the elevator, Biggs will be waiting for us at the doors. He and Jessie will unlock them, and then we'll run back out to the bridge, where Wedge will be waiting, and the door open and ready for us to leave...Just before the mako reactor goes up in smoke. There. Ya got the plan?"  
  
Cloud nodded, "...When did you say we started...?"  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
The mission began slow and boring, as I thought it would. Just like every mission. It's all a routine, you just develop it the more you're a mercenary. It's all kick out the first guards. Then solve the problem. Then escape with a good hour or so before the mission ends...There's no more excitement in this world...Especially Midgar...Everyone thinks they can be a superhero; they think they can save the world...Only when you're on the battlefield do you realize how wrong you truly are.  
  
I glanced to the two people dressed as guards standing in front of the door. They held their guns in the way of the door, and one of them spoke in an attempted low voice, as if trying to sound powerful, but obviously he was more tenor than bass.  
  
The blue guard spoke, "...State your name..."  
  
I replied, "Let me through, my name's Cloud."  
  
The two moved their guns out of the way, and I stepped inside. All going as planned...the usual. The black man was staring at me almost angrily as I entered the train car.  
  
"Well, we're all here...Biggs, Jessie, go." He said with a determined voice. That angry look and determined voice. It's how everyone is before beginning on a mission. Those are the people that you see in stories. But the voice and look? It's all a mask of courage. They're just hiding their nervousness, their fear. They don't want to let others know how weak they truly are.  
  
The two guards stepped into the train, closing the door, and then a female voice came slightly muffled from the mask of one of them, "...Can we take off these suits now? These Shin-Ra clothes are itchy!"  
  
The black man, who was obviously the leader, nodded slowly, keeping that dead serious I'm-Concentrating-On-The-Mission look.  
  
The two "soldiers" shedded their outer layer of clothing, removing their helmets last. I noticed that Biggs and Jessie looked a lot like brother and sister. Jessie had rather reddish colored hair, but her face showed that she seemed to be enthusiastic enough, and yet, she had a serious side to her as well. Biggs, with brown hair and a red headband, shared the same expression. They both wore rebel-clad clothing, consisting of normal clothes, but with metal plates along places such as their arms and legs. Either that or it was just silvery cloth, made to fool people like metal, but not metal at all. I blinked slightly, noticing Jessie was watching me...It seemed as if she was watching my every movement. Perhaps it was that the black man had given her orders to watch me. After all, I am a mercenary...who knows? I might just betray the mission right here. Or maybe she was just studying me.  
  
Finally, she spoke, breaking the silence, which was rather stunning because I had heard nothing but the "clang-clang" of the train's wheels against the track. Her voice seemed much gentle than a warrior's, and it seemed as if she wasn't much of a fighter, "...Barret, who is this guy...?"  
  
The black man, Barret, looked to Jessie sternly, "...He's an Ex-SOLDIER who's now helping us."  
  
The train now let out a whoosh sound, signaling that it was stopping. Barret just gave a glance to Jessie and Biggs and all of a sudden, things just suddenly seemed to come alive from the deathly stillness of the train. The two stood up, and the door opened, flooding light into the train car. The two left the car, and sounds of two men getting hit, then slumping to the ground, was heard. They were already dead.  
  
Barret stood up, "...Alright, guys, let's move out!" and Wedge quickly bolted his short, stubby self out the door, running to catch up with the others, his red bandana seeming like it was going to pop right off his head. Barret and I both exited next, and I basically just followed him, but as soon as he rounded the first corner, two real Shin-Ra guards approached me from out of nowhere. I snickered. This was going to be my first fight in a while.  
  
I quickly drew my sword as the guards aimed their weapons at me, but were already too close to use their guns. They either had to back off or attack close range. They chose the latter. I rushed towards them before they could react, and my massive sword hit its mark. I felt little resistance as my sword cut right through the guard's tender stomach area, and I barely had time to notice the blood on my sword before the second guard thrust the blunt end of his gun at my left side. I just raised my arm, allowing the bangle to deflect it, hearing the "Clank!" of metal against metal as I single-handedly curved the sword around, and made a clean slash along his chest. He fell quickly. I looked over my shoulder and ran back to the two red guards, who were killed by Biggs and Jessie. After inspecting them, I discovered two potions...One on each of them.  
After rejoining with the group, it took a little time before the first door was unlocked. But Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie decided to pass the time with a little conversation.  
  
"So you're from SOLDIER, eh? Well I don't trust ya..." Barret noted.  
  
Jessie blinked her blue eyes, looking over towards Cloud with a curious, yet seemingly afraid face, "...SOLDIER? Aren't they the enemy?"  
  
Biggs looked over, "...He's an Ex-SOLDIER...He's with us now."  
  
The three returned to their work. It wasn't long before the door was opened, and the group known as AVALANCHE ran into the scene quickly, all having the first point in mind: The bridge. I took a second to glance up to the symbol of power, dwarfing the rest of the buildings of Midgar. There are only eight of them, yet each of them has the ability to strike fear into people. The way the colossal buildings belched green smoke from their tops, the remains of the mako energy, the life force of the planet itself. This was the mako reactor.  
  
Once inside, I already noticed the pudgy Wedge already sitting in front of the door, working endlessly on the door's wires and cables. I looked off to my right, not able to see anything besides the light beyond the next doorway. I turned and ran down that part of the bridge, not bothering to look over the edge, where below, a boiling pit of green semi liquid goo was, just steaming as it was turned into energy. Through the next doorway, I noticed Biggs at work on the first of the two doors' codes. I looked to Barret, who held his gun-arm, ready to fire when necessary, but the barrels were already smoking. We had all taken at least one life so far.  
  
Barret spoke to me, telling me useless information about the history of mako energy and Shin-Ra using it for energy, just to get themselves money and power. I just told him that I wanted to get this job done, but little did I notice that when I spoke those harsh words, "As soon as this job's done, I'm out of here..." that Jessie looked away from me, hiding the expression on her face...  
  
Barret got angry with me, and said that he was going with me from here on. Not a great change of plans, but hey, it might rise a bit of excitement in this dull mission. Just then, the door opened, and Biggs stood up. All four of us ran a good ten feet or so, before we were stopped by another door. Jessie wasted no time, hurrying to the controls as Barret shot a few more blue guards.  
  
I looked over to Jessie, and noticed she looked straight at me when she said, "Code: Deciphered." It was as if I was the leader of this operation. Barret nodded, and the door opened, and this time, only three members ran ahead; Biggs stayed behind. We all stepped into the elevator, closing the door as a few shots were fired, but the reinforced elevator door stopped them. Barret once again tried to convince me of the "cruel treatment" of Shin-Ra to the planet, but I didn't have time for his worthless talk. I noticed Jessie glanced over towards me every now and then, but every time I let my glance turn towards her, she looked back to her control panel quickly. Her actions confused me.  
The rest of the mission went as planned as well, until we got to the reactor. After infiltrating the "uncivilized" part of the reactor Barret told me about, we saw no more of the blue guards. We just saw these slow-firing laser creatures...Easy targets...  
  
Jessie ran ahead, and I heard someone cry out, then a faint splash. As Barret and I caught up with her, she was standing on the edge of a steel frame outcropping, and a blue bottle of potion was at her feet. I easily guessed what happened.  
  
I walked out to her and took the potion, then stepped back. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but no voice came out. I hesitated for a second, then turn around and ran back to Barret, who still had that I'm-a-hero look on his face. We both ran even deeper into the reactor, and I began to feel the heat of the boiling mako energy.  
  
As we found the main chamber, where the mako is originally pumped, I noticed a green, shimmering stone on the ground in the main pathway to the pumping control center. I walked over and picked it up before Barret could notice anything.  
  
"Well, go ahead and set the bomb." Barret said to me.  
  
I blinked. That wasn't part of the plan, "I thought you were going to do it."  
  
"Shut up. I gotta make sure you don't try and pull nothin'."  
  
I shrugged, but as I neared the control, the small bomb in my arms, suddenly, I was hit with a jolt of energy. I swear there must have been electricity running through my whole body. I couldn't move! Then a voice entered my mind as I could see nothing but white.  
  
"Watch out! This isn't just a reactor!"  
  
I blinked, shaking my head. What was wrong with me? Did I just image all of that? Barret was giving me a strange look. "Get going!" he had said. I shook my head, then walked to the controls, and kneeled down, setting the bomb to ten minutes...  
  
I had just stood up when I heard a stomp, then Barret's gun firing rapidly. I looked up over my shoulder to notice a massive red robot, looking much like a scorpion, marching towards us. I stood up, "...So they're here..." and the alarm sounds began blaring...we didn't have much time.  
  
The robot was rather easy to take care of, and as soon as the battle was over, I used two of the bottles of potion on myself and Barret, then we both ran back to the main twisted sets of ladders and steelwork, glowing green from the mako energy below.  
  
Barret ran ahead, and I looked over towards Jessie, noticing she wasn't moving towards us, a distressed look on her face. I ran over to her and kneeled beside her on the steel network, looking up into her blue eyes. My heart skipped a beat for some reason.  
  
"Anything wrong?" I asked, knowing she knew the code to one of the doors...that was the only reason I was concerned for her safety.  
She groaned, "My foot. It's stuck." And I looked down, noticing sure enough, her foot was caught in between two of the steel bars. I noticed the bars were in a triangular pattern, and I moved her ankle slowly, carefully to where the bars were more spread out, ignoring the gunshots coming from Barret's arm/weapon. Once her foot was free, I looked up to her, noticing her face was rather close to mine. I was able to notice a hint of color in her cheeks before she exclaimed, "Thanks!" and jumped over me, running to catch up with Barret. I stood up and turned, running to catch up as well, but they were already at the top of the elevator shaft by the time I got to the bottom. I stepped into the elevator and thought to myself as it rose up towards where the main part of the fighting was taking place. I just concentrated on thoughts of what all was going on next...Surely five minutes had passed, but I wasn't getting in the least bit nervous.  
  
As soon as the elevator got to the top, I exited, seeing Biggs, Jessie, and Barret waiting for me. But Jessie was already working on the codes for the first door once again. I took my time in getting over to them, knowing there was still plenty of time to spare, a good four minutes. But I noticed nervousness in Barret's face...He was getting a little worried.  
  
Jessie got the door open quickly, and Biggs rushed through first to get to the next door and begin working on it. Jessie and Barret followed quickly, standing by the door. Barret raised his gun-arm, readying to fire as soon as the door opened.  
  
Biggs took a little time actually...And by the time he was done, there must have only been about a minute left...I saw the sweat pouring from Barret's face as he yelled, "Come on, hurry!" and he burst through the open door, firing at the few guards there. We ran down the last steps, and I took the rear, just because I was a mercenary...I wasn't part of their group. It was a good thing I did, too.  
  
On the way back, Jessie tripped and fell on the bridge. The others were already through the door, and I kneeled by her, helping her up. She and I ran ahead, and the final door closed behind us just as the explosion ripped through the reactor, and the whole reactor was destroyed, shaking the ground. Jessie and I both tumbled to the ground, breathing heavily from all of our rushing, powering along.  
  
I looked to her, seeing her blushing once again, and she looked to the ground, propping herself up on her arms, and her mouth opened once again, like she was going to say something, but nothing came out for a second, before she said, "...Cloud...I um..." and she fell silent for a moment, biting her lip. "...Um, thanks...I'd be dead for now if it weren't for you, Cloud..." and she reached over to hug me, but I stood up and walked off before she could do so. I didn't want her to thank me.  
  
  
  
We returned to the base, each having taken our separate paths. Along the way I picked up a flower, and met the girl named Aerith. I had a feeling we'd meet again, but that wasn't important. What was important was that I got my pay for the job. I walked into Tifa's bar, known as the 7th Heaven, and sat down, waiting for Barret to lead the way to his hideout, which was activated by a secret switch on the pinball machine. Once downstairs, Barret and I agreed on the money, and I saw the angry look in his eyes, knowing he wished the money had gone to a "better" cause, but whatever the cause, it didn't concern me.  
  
I stayed the night at one of the neighbor's houses. The next day, they already had another mission planned. They must have decided to attack a second reactor before Shin-Ra really decided to do anything and raise security. This time the target was mako reactor #5. The plan was a little different from last time. This included fake identifications and a civilian train...this time we were going in more spy-like. I had expected a little more pay than last time.  
  
This time the mission began on the train. We all met up there acting casual, as if we were just going from one sector to another, but it was much, much more complicated than that. As the train commenced, Jessie took me over to a corner of the train and explained to me the rail system with help of the computer terminal there. She told me about the series of ID checkpoints, and how if they found a bad ID, they'd stop the train to lock it down, and guards would swarm the train. I figured it had never happened before. I just sort of shrugged, showing that I didn't care about the rail system and how it worked. Stuff like that just doesn't interest me.  
  
We got past the first checkpoint clearly, nothing to stop us. Obviously, our fake ID's worked well enough. But the second checkpoint...  
  
"Warning: Unregistered identifications in car 6!"  
  
Red lights began flashing through the car and a timer snapped on over the car's doorway...Ten seconds...  
  
"Initiating lock down of car six, security level: 1."  
  
Jessie and Biggs walked ahead, running through the door, as if they knew what they were doing...maybe there was something about the plan Barret hadn't told me. I looked over at Barret, who yelled, "GO!" at me, and he rushed through the door, followed by Wedge. I also ran through the door, emerging into car five...  
  
Jessie and Biggs were nowhere to be seen, maybe already in the next car ahead. I heard the sound of heavy metal sliding together, the sound of the sixth car being locked tight.  
  
"Unregistered identifications have moved, switching to lock down car five. Raising security to level two."  
  
Barret looked at me, then Wedge, then hurried through the door, followed by his counterpart. We followed this example until we got to car one.  
  
"Identification check cleared..."  
  
I noticed a guard dressed in red at the end of the car, typing at the terminal: Jessie. She took one glance at me, then went back to typing, trying to stop the alarm. I looked at Barret, who opened the door of the car. Because of the ID check, the train had slowed to almost a stop. He looked over at me, then signaled to follow, then he jumped out, and I followed, rolling on the ground as the train rolled off, disappearing from sight, leaving us in the tunnel.  
  
Wedge, Barret, and I all got to work. We found the door we needed to get to mako reactor #1, and climbed through, slipping into a series of pipes.  
  
The sound of the trains in the subway sounded loudly behind us as we dropped into the first room, mainly ventilation shafts. Fortunately, there weren't any dangerous objects, but a few little potentially dangerous critters here and there. We soon entered into a much larger set of rooms, connected by the pipelines. Soon, we emerged into the reactor's storage areas. The stench wasn't as bad as I had predicted. So I guess Shin-Ra has become a little cleaner over the past year or so...  
  
Barret looked up towards me, "...Biggs and Jessie are up ahead...we're gonna meet up wit' them. They should already have the codes for the doors..."  
  
We moved on through the rooms, no longer connected by pipes, but actual hallways instead. Along the way, we found old supplies we knew we could use, and so we did. But they were usually just things like healing potions and the such...nothing important.  
  
Jessie was waiting for us, and she was ready. But now it was time for Barret and I to move onward. We opened a small panel and looked outside. It was similar...very similar...to mako reactor #1. I sighed... the same routine as last time.  
  
The area was the same as right before the elevator from the last reactor. Barret and I continued on, with an unknown guest behind us...  
  
The bomb was set, and we began to turn back, when I saw Tifa standing there, awaiting us. I sighed softly, wondering what she was doing here. But then again, I didn't really care.  
  
Tifa had been my friend ever since childhood. To see her here almost made me want to protect her, but I knew she had to learn to take care of herself sooner or later. We all ran back the same way, tracing the path as the time we were in mako reactor no. 1. But then we were stopped...  
  
There were the two doors, just like in mako reactor no. 5. I looked at Barret and Tifa, seeing the worry on their faces, and I realized then that they didn't have the codes. I sighed at the sight of their ignorance.  
  
But then, Barret looked towards our left, "...Yo! I Think Jessie said something about hittin' all the switches at the same time!" and he hurriedly ran over to the switches, Tifa right behind him. I joined them, taking the far panel, and waited for Barret to say...  
  
"Now."  
  
We all tapped the switch and the two doors opened. Barret laughed triumphantly then took off running with Tifa back to where in the first mission, Wedge had to open that door. The T-catwalk is what I called it. Below us, I could see a few small buildings. I blinked, realizing we were over the slums...  
  
I shook the idea out of my mind and came back to reality, looking at the door as it opened, and a bunch of soldiers started marching out. This...machine...was on the other side of us. Tifa and Barret backed away from the strange robot, but they were now trapped between the robot and soldiers.  
  
As the robot passed by me, I moved into position behind the robot and raised my buster sword, when the sound of a helicopter stopped me. I looked over and saw the man himself...Mister President Shin-Ra.  
  
After we...talked...for a little, the battle was under way. We had the robot surrounded, and we were beating it to submission quickly. But...for some reason, the guards and president had retreated.  
  
As the robot lied there, inoperable, I soon realized why. The robot self-destructed, and I was flung into the air. I caught onto the edge of what was left of the balcony and just stared up as Tifa and Barret raced to try to help me. Tifa couldn't reach me, and Barret tried to calm me down, but I was too tired. The next explosion from the tower was a warning blast from the bomb, but it was enough to get me to let go.  
  
I fell, simple. I was going to die as soon as I hit the ground...The last thing I would see was Tifa reaching out towards me, trying to help me...No. It wasn't Tifa. I saw her. I saw Jessie. She was in tears, crying. I saw her then. Was it the future? Maybe...I prayed it wasn't.  
  
Pain flooded my body. I stared up at the girl who had sold me the flowers some time ago. Jessie...Tifa? Aerith...Bomb...Jessie? AVALANCHE...SOLDIER...Shin-Ra...Jessie...Jessie...Reactor...Jessie...Mission...Pain...Sleep...  
  
...Jessie...  
  
The voice in my head spoke again. It said something about "scratched knees." I wonder what it was talking about. I opened my eyes slowly, looking around. I was alive? No. Flowers don't exist in Midgar. Neither does a peaceful church. But that girl who had sold me the flowers was here. I saw the light in her face as she smiled. She was apparently happy that I was alive. I looked up. The reactor wasn't in sight...Well, it was, but black smoke was belching from it. So the mission was completed...  
  
"Hi!" the girl had said to me.  
  
After a short introduction, we talked for a while. Her name was Aerith. Apparently, this group called the Turks wanted her. I grumbled slightly, and then stood up...just as a man in a navy blue tuxedo walked into the area, with a few soldiers.  
  
"He's a turk..." Aerith told me.  
  
I looked up, and then told Aerith to run. I quickly disposed of the guards, but more were probably on the way. The church had a back room, which we ran into. After I locked the door behind us, I knew we needed to get out. That was the next step.  
  
"Is there another way out of here?" I called to her. She responded by gesturing to a hole in the ceiling. I ran up a downed rafter and joined her in the rafters. Then, we both climbed out of the church, just as the soldiers burst through the door. We hopped on down the piles of debris and trash, until we got to the boundary line between sectors 4 and 5.  
  
Aerith was kind, but I needed to see Jessie...to make sure she was all right. I looked to Aerith.  
  
"I need to get to sector 7."  
  
Just then, a chocobo carriage drove by, and Tifa was inside. She was wearing rather eye-catching clothes...I almost want to say kinky, but I don't like Tifa that way...or anyone, for that matter. I looked at Aerith...we both followed the carriage to a place called "Wall Market."  
  
Everything was here. There were taverns, bars, clubs that I'd rather not mention. I sighed, wondering why Tifa was in such a place. Every lowlife in Midgar had visited this place at least five times in his or her pathetic life.  
  
Remembering what Tifa was wearing, I realized that she had to be in one certain place. The only place where every innocent girl dreads to even dream of entering...Don Corneo's mansion.  
  
Now...we skip ahead a little in time...I don't want to mention the whole thing about me in a dress. So...  
  
Corneo sat there on the bed, a shocked expression on his face as his darling Aerith turns out to be a warrior. After threatening...something of his...He finally decided to tell us what he had to do with Shin-Ra. He told us of their plans to destroy the pillar because they had found out the hideout was somewhere in sector 7. They would blame the entire incident on AVALANCHE.  
  
I blinked, knowing so many innocents would be destroyed if Shin-Ra had their plans fulfilled. Not to mention...another picture of Jessie was in my mind now...She, Barret, Biggs, and Wedge were all attacking the pillar, because there were Shin-Ra soldiers there, and they needed to be stopped. Biggs was taken out early. He was there, hanging over the railing, almost lifeless, blood dripping from him as screams began to ring out.  
  
I woke up. Just then, Corneo pulled a lever, which split the floor under us. We all dropped, but landed in the sewers. A rather large, beastly creature attacked us, but killed itself with its own tidal wave attack. We escaped from it simply by climbing onto a ladder and climbing up a short way.  
  
We emerged at the train graveyard. The cold, chilling air was enough to stop us for a while, but we moved on. The pillar wasn't too far away, and we already heard the gunshots in the distance...they were still alive! Jessie was still alive!  
  
We ran to the train station, and the civilians there who knew us begged us to stop the soldiers before they did anything.  
  
I looked up at the pillar, and suddenly, a yellow form fell from the sky. It was Wedge! He hit the ground harshly, but it appeared as if his fat saved his bones from being broken. I thought quickly, remembering what had to be done.  
  
"Aerith," Tifa said. "I own a bar called the 7th Heaven near here. Inside is a little girl named Marlene; can you get her for me?"  
  
Aerith nodded, "...Alright!" and she ran off.  
  
Tifa and I ran through the gate, and looked around. I looked up and there was Biggs, as I remembered seeing him in my "vision." He was almost unconscious, dangling over the edge, blood dripping.  
  
"Cloud...Heh...Still don't care about the world?"  
  
I ignored him. Little did I know...those would be the last words I heard from my friend. I ran farther up the stairs, Tifa at my heels, and we were about three-fourths of the way up, when I noticed another person lying there on the steps. She had made it so far...Jessie!  
  
I ran to her and kneeled at her side, forcing Tifa to move on and help Barret. I looked into Jessie's eyes as she smiled back at me. I longed for that smile; I wanted to hear her voice, hear her tell me she would be all right. She coughed slightly, and then told me to help Barret. I promised her I would return and get her...I promised her! But I didn't know that I wouldn't have enough time for my own promise.  
  
As I came to the top of the pillar, I saw Barret and Tifa there, unaware of the helicopter rising behind them. Another one of the people known as Turks hopped out, this one had red, spiked hair, tied in a ponytail.  
  
The turk ran over to a control panel and pressed a red button just as Tifa and Barret noticed him.  
  
"I wouldn't try messing with it...It's programmed to go off if any fools like you tried to tamper with it." The red-haired freak said.  
  
With that, Barret opened fire, a few bullets sinking into the man's skin. He staggered backwards, cursing at us as Barret continued to fire, more bullet penetrating his armor. He fell over the side railing of the platform around the pillar, just as a helicopter rose up into the air. Aerith was inside, and the turk who attacked us earlier.  
  
"Marlene's somewhere...safe..." she was able to mutter, before the man slapped her. Tifa reached out, "Hey! Don't be so mean to her!" and the man laughed, then the helicopter flew off, just as the pillar began to destruct.  
  
My mind was too clouded up to act, so I did what I was told instead of what I was supposed to do.  
  
"C'mon, guys! We'll use this ripcord to escape!" Barret yelled out to us. Tifa wrapper her arms around Barret and I climbed up on his shoulder, another explosion showering debris towards us. Barret let go of the railing and we sailed downwards as the plate itself began to descend. The ripcord held steady as we raced downwards, hoping to escape the falling plate. Thousands of people began to cry out in despair as the falling plate flattened all offices, homes etc... There were explosions as gas containers were suddenly crushed.  
  
A sudden emptiness filled my heart, and I let go. I just suddenly lost my energy. I fell off of Barret, but momentum carried my almost lifeless body through the air, just past the sector 7 border. The plate slammed to the ground, merely feet from where I was. Barret and Tifa were safe too; they were about 20 feet in front of me. I was quickly surrounded by black.  
  
I was the first to wake up. I looked to the ruin behind me and pressed my hands against the new wall made from the fallen plate. Sectors 7 and 14 were gone; 14 had been destroyed by the sudden stop, and sector 7 was now lying under 14.  
  
Tears came to my eyes for the first time in a long time. She was gone. I couldn't believe it. I still don't want to believe it. She can't be gone.  
  
"Jessie!!!" I cried, hoping for a response. I wanted to hear her voice, see that soft smile, and feel her tender fingers touch my cheek in such a caring way. I had fallen in love.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Tifa and Barret woke up to see Cloud lying there, leaned against the rubble, asleep. How he got to be leaning against the debris, they'd never know. They just know they made it out alive, and AVALANCHE was gone. Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge were all casualties of war. They had died in honor, protecting what they lived for.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Now Meteor is closing in. But, is it worth fighting for? Aerith is dead, Sephiroth is on a mad rampage, Jenova is destroying everything. The Earth is crying out piteously for help. But why should I fight? Why should I not just join her in the Lifestream, the realm of the dead?  
  
Those questions will remain unanswered. I just know if I stop Meteor, it will only be time before I can be in the arms of my love once again...  



End file.
